ARM SPAN AS MEASUREMENT OF RESPONSE TO GROWTH-HORMONE (GH) TREATMENT IN A GROUP OF CHILDREN WITH MENINGOMYELOCELE AND GH DEFICIENCY

Children with meningomyelocele (MMC) frequently have impaired linear g rowth. A number have associated structural brain defects with resultan t GH deficiency (GHD). Reproducible measurements of height or length i n MMC patients are often hampered by lower limb contractures, spastici ty, and scoliosis. Arm span has been proposed as a more reproducible m easure of linear growth. Five MMC children documented to have GHD were treated with recombinant human GH (hGH) for 1-3 yr. Their height, arm span, and growth velocity were compared with 32 children with idiopat hic GHD treated similarly with hGH. These measures are compared with n ormal children by being expressed as standard deviation scores. The re sults of this study indicate that arm span measurements in GHD MMC pat ients are almost identical to height measurements in idiopathic GHD pa tients both before and during hGH therapy. The physical condition of c hildren with MMC makes reproducible longitudinal height measurements d ifficult. Routine determinations of arm span measurements for children with MMC will assist in recognizing growth failure as well. as monito ring treatment results.